GROUND-BASED AIR DEFENCE DIFFICULT DECISIONS From short-range and handheld technology to long-range solutions, the ground-based air defence market is being kept busy as nations begin to replace outdated systems and add new capabilities to their inventories. By Beth Maundrill Land Ceptor testing was carried out in Sweden expensive [and] only a few very high-end a letter of acceptance to acquire the in 2018. (Photo: UK MoD) countries really needed. Now that Russia is weapon system in August. back as a high-end military threat – but Following on from the latter, the OEM s fifth- and sixth-generation also [with] Chinese, North Korean and received a $692.9 million contract from the fighter jets, unmanned aircraft Iranian developments – it’s become US Army in December to produce Patriot A and high-tech missile and ballistic something that is much more seen as systems for Sweden. At the time of the technologies enter more countries’ worth the investment than it was in the award, a Raytheon spokesperson noted that inventories, ground forces need to be past,’ he continued. the procurement will provide joint training able to keep up with the new demands However, acquiring air defence systems opportunities for the Swedish and US armed that these air threats impose and apply is not as simple as it may seem, and the forces, and enhance military interoperability. the appropriate defensive capability. procurement of big-ticket items can have Potential sales could also be made in Looking at the wide range of ground- wider implications. Turkey. At the end of last year, the US DoD based air defence (GBAD) programmes made a determination approving a potential that are being actioned worldwide, there Patriot games FMS of Patriot MIM-104E Guidance has been a definite change in the One of the most dominant products on the Enhanced Missiles (GEM-T) and PAC-3 landscape for such solutions. market has been Raytheon’s Patriot missile Missile Segment Enhancements (MSE) to ‘I think what has changed is not really system, which has won the custom of Ankara. In a package worth $3.5 billion, the system, but it’s mainly the fact that numerous nations. However, the solution is Turkey has requested four AN/MPQ-65 the ballistic missile threat has become not affordable for everyone, and short- radar sets, four engagement control much more apparent, so there’s more of range requirements also open up stations, ten antenna mast groups, 20 an awareness of the threat,’ commented opportunities for other industry players to M903 launch stations, 80 GEM-T missiles Justin Bronk, research fellow and editor compete for GBAD programmes. with canisters, 60 PAC-3 MSEs and five of RUSI Defence Systems at the Royal Starting with Patriot, Raytheon saw a lot electrical powerplants. United Services Institute for Defence of success in 2018, with contracts However, it should be noted that while and Security Studies. confirmed in both Poland (in the spring) the US DoD has approved this sale, it ‘I think in the past, it was viewed as a and Romania (in May) through FMS via the has not yet gone ahead. This ongoing sort of fairly niche thing that was incredibly US government. In addition, Sweden signed discussion regards more than just the 10 LAND WARFARE INTERNATIONAL FEBRUARY/MARCH 2019 VOLUME 10 NUMBER 1 WWW.LANDWARFAREINTL.COM GROUND-BASED AIR DEFENCE Notably, Turkey has also previously that there are no other options on the Now that Russia benefitted from the deployment of market that are really able to meet the American- and German-owned Patriot increasing threat from ballistic missiles is back as a systems within its borders. being developed by the likes of North high-end military threat, However, at the time of writing, it was Korea and others. ballistic missiles have unclear which way Turkey will swing. If it Perhaps one of the only other comparable selects Patriot, it will have to cancel its systems is the Terminal High-Altitude Area become something that order for S-400s as this is a condition set Defense (THAAD) weapon system, although is much more seen as by the US. The clock is therefore ticking the Patriot is seen as a lower-tier solution by worth the investment for a procurement decision, as the S-400 comparison. THAAD is managed by the US systems are set to be delivered as early Missile Defense Agency, and Lockheed than in the past. as summer 2019. Martin serves as the prime contractor. THAAD uses hit-to-kill technology to Tiered solutions destroy a target with direct impact, Since Turkey is a NATO member, it is neutralising lethal threats before they acquisition of an air defence system. If somewhat obvious why the US would want reach protected assets on the ground. The Turkey were to select Patriot, it could go to steer it away from Russian equipment. system is rapidly deployable, mobile and some way to repairing the nation’s However, it is not the only country set to interoperable with other ballistic missile relationship with Washington, which has acquire the S-400, as India has also defence elements, including Aegis, Patriot/ been strained recently due to various expressed interest in the system. PAC-3, forward-based sensors and C2, battle factors, including the withdrawal of US It was announced on 5 October 2018 management and communications systems. troops in Syria. that Rosoboronexport had signed a deal The US Army is one of three customers One issue is that Turkey has already to supply S-400s to India. At the time of for the THAAD, alongside Saudi Arabia and committed to the acquisition of Russian the announcement, Alexander Mikheev, the UAE, and the service is planning to link Almaz-Antey S-400 Triumf (SA-21 Growler) head of the state organisation, said: ‘The it to the Patriot. It has been reported that long-range surface-to-air missiles. The contract… is the biggest for the entire THAAD and Patriot systems are expected to order for the S-400 was placed in 2017 period of military-technical cooperation be working together by the end of 2020 as and made Ankara the second export between Russia and India, and the largest a result of accelerating operational needs customer for the type, after China. ‘It’s in the history of Rosoboronexport. Today, on the Korean peninsula. clearly very important for US-Turkey we begin to execute it.’ The UAE was the first foreign partner to relations in the context that if Patriot One reason for this battle between procure the THAAD system, with a contract were procured, it would be instead of the the Patriot and its Russian competitor is awarded in December 2011. S-400 system,’ said Bronk. As well as the political fall-out that could come with either choice, Turkey must consider the capabilities of each system. Essentially, the S-400 offers a higher range of 400km if it is sold with the 40N6 missile, compared to Raytheon’s product, which is typically sold with a 35km-range PAC-3. Furthermore, the S-400’s radar, the 55Zh6UE NEBO-UE, has a detection range MINE BRIDGE ROUTE PROOFING MINE BREACHING LAUNCHING AND CLEARANCE CLEARANCE of over 400km, while Patriot’s sits at 100km with the AN/MPQ-65 radar set, according to Shephard Plus data. As well as the technical specifications, the compatibility of the weapon system with other military assets is important – the nation has selected the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, for example. To have full air power capability and fly the fifth-generation aircraft, Turkey will need a GBAD network that can communicate and transfer data with air assets. The Russian system would simply be incompatible with the US-made jets and many other NATO platforms. WWW.LANDWARFAREINTL.COM VOLUME 10 NUMBER 1 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2019 LAND WARFARE INTERNATIONAL 11 GROUND-BASED AIR DEFENCE The US Army is working on linking its THAAD system to the Patriot. (Photo: Lockheed Martin) cost interceptor missile. As part of Phase I, Raytheon will deliver 200 PAC-3 missiles, and for Phase II there will be the option of the Rafael SkyCeptor interceptor. As well as increasing the number of Patriot systems in its inventory, Warsaw is looking at procuring a short-range air defence capability under its Narew programme. Raytheon and its partner Kongsberg will be offering the National Advanced Surface-to-air Missile System (NASAMS) to satisfy this requirement, Baird confirmed. ‘The Narew competition was going through a series of technical dialogues and so forth, just like the Wisła competition [did]. It’s kind of on hold, waiting for the The I-Dome from Rafael is a version of Iron Dome integrated onto a single truck. (Image: Rafael) Polish MoD to decide which way they want to go. [Warsaw is] looking at potentially combining it with Wisła through the US. If Phase change John Baird, VP for Poland integrated air that happens then they’ll go through a Meanwhile, Raytheon has continued and missile defence at Raytheon, told certain acquisition route,’ Baird explained. discussions with Poland over Patriot, after Shephard during the MSPO 2018 event The final decision on Wisła is expected in the country opted for the system in March (held in Kiełce, Poland) that discussions on 2019, but the precise date for the contract 2018, in addition to a lower-tier air defence Phase II began in April, almost immediately signing is yet to be announced. solution under the same agreement. after the Phase I agreement was signed. An alternative solution to the mid-range As part of this second phase of Baird detailed the additional NASAMS could be the MBDA Common Warsaw’s Wisła programme, the Eastern technologies that the government is Anti-air Modular Missile (CAMM)-ER European nation is looking for an looking for in Phase II, including a 360˚ interceptor, which was also promoted at additional 16 Patriot fire units which AESA radar, various Polish-built sensors MSPO 2018.